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† THE GLASS FACTORY. †
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####%†\«,¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ †† ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ †† †† ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ ««««««« † † ««««««« ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ †† †† ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ †† ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ †† ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ †† †† ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ««««««« † † ««««««« ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ †† †† ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ †† ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ †† ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ †† †† ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ««««««« † † ««««««« ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ †† †† ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ †† ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨,«\†%####
###%†\«,¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨,«\†%###
##%†\«,¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨,«\†%##
###%†\«,¨¨ ¨¨,«\†%###
####%†\«,¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨,«\†%####
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